REACHING THE FURTHEST BEHIND FIRST: CHALLENGES FOR THE COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Agenda 2030 is about social development because it is about the eradication of poverty, leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest behind first Social development needs economic development and environmental policies and MOI
Main points • The economic framework in which we start the implementation of the SDGs • Innovative practices for social inclusion • Follow-up and review
Economic framework The world economy stumbled in 2015 and only a modest improvement is projected for 2016/17 World Economic Situation and Prospects 2016 published by DESA A new financial crisis is possible before 2020 Gaël Giraud, Chief Economiste of the French Agency for Development AFD
Economic framework Continuing high rates of unemployment worldwide and chronic vulnerable employment ILO’s World Employment and Social Outlook – Trends 2016 Unemployment: 2015 - 197.1 million 2016 - 199.4 million 2017 – 200.5 million
Economic framework A new adjustment shock in 2016: According to IMF • Budget reductions are expected to impact 132 countries in 2016 in terms of GDP until 2020. • 81 developing countries are projected to cut public spending • 45 high-income countries. • Expenditure contraction is expected to affect more than six billion persons or nearly 80 per cent of the global population by 2020 Policy Brief based on The Decade of Adjustment: A Review of Austerity Trends 2010- 2020 in 187 Countries – ILO
Macroeconomic issues = social issues • The Commission should create the space and conditions to talk honestly about these issues • The Commission should have recommendations for the International Financial Institutions
Innovative practices for social inclusion Report of the SG on follow up and review Steps for functional commissions to support the HLPF “they should reflect on their ability to convene and engage the critical actors relevant to their contributions to the 2030 Agenda, including scientists, local governments, business, and representatives of the most vulnerable people”
World Summit for Social Development Commitment 4 We commit ourselves to promoting social integration by fostering societies that are stable, safe and just and that are based on the promotion and protection of all human rights, as well as on non-discrimination […], and participation of all people, including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and persons .
Where are they?
The Commission should lead the way Proposal The Commission should mandate DSPD to invite people experiencing poverty, social exclusion and the worse effects of environmental degradation to the expert group meetings.
The Commission should lead the way Proposal In the same way as women are part of official delegations for CSW, people experiencing poverty, social exclusion and the worse effects of environmental degradation should be part of official delegations to CSocD .
Based on the UN Guiding Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights ENGLISH bit.ly/handbook-ATD FRENCH bit.ly/manuel-ATD
Participation Done Correctly • Not forced • Representatives must report back to • Clear intentions communities • Adequate time • Recognize existing • Designed with people inequalities (reach the • Unite people without most excluded) judgment • Regular evaluations • Build trust through • Avoid marginalizing presence language
Follow-up and review How are we suppose to believe that the SDGs will bring results if no accountability mechanism is built into them? Maryann Broxton, Civil Society Forum
Challenges • Measure 169 targets – The IAEG-SDGs in the context of the Statistical Commission • Lack of available data for the poorest and most excluded people
The value of data • In 2013 Unicef’s report: one third of the world’s children under the age of five are not registered. Every child’s birth rights. Inequities and trends in birth registration • Significance for the measure of MDG target 4a Reduce by two-thirds, the under-five mortality rate MDG Report 2015: Global under- five mortality rate has declined by more than half
The Commission should lead the way Proposal In the context of monitoring Agenda 2030, the Commission should mandate DSPD to work with people living in poverty to measure progress on the dimensions more relevant to their lives, to identify gaps in implementation and to make proposals.
The Commission should lead the way Proposal The Commission could ask DSPD to include qualitative and perception based data when monitoring progress about the social dimension of the SDGs
Credibility
Thank you!
Social Protection • Social Protection Floors • We should add, participation of people living in poverty in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of SP schemes
Improve Education • Eliminate discrimination in schools “It is not easy for a child to express herself or to study hard due to the mockery of a classmate or even of the teacher because of where you live. Even though we are living in the cemetery, we have the same dreams of becoming a teacher, doctor, lawyer, etc. as everyone else.” -Mother from Bolivia
Improve Education • Create a conducive environment for parents— including those who live in poverty– to be partners in their children’s education.
Improve Education • Take the community’s context into account: “In May, I take my children out of school to help on the farm. I do it because we must be able to eat in order to send the children to school the following year.” -Father from Burkina Faso
Improve Education • Eliminate hidden costs to education: – Transportation – Uniforms – Supplies
Address Discrimination and Stigmatization Against People Living in Poverty “That people disrespect us by calling us names like ‘social case’, ‘bad mother’, ‘incapable’, ‘good for nothing’ demonstrates how they are judging us and do not know the reality we face. We experience the violence of being discriminated against, of not existing , not being part of the same world, not being treated like other human beings.” -Person Living in Poverty, France
“Stigma supplies the world view for marginalization by ‘legitimizing' the process of setting up and perpetuating an ― ‘us and them’ divide, and through the devaluation and dehumanization of those seen as being outside the ―us… Stigma gives rise not only to discrimination, but also to a range of other human rights violations, both of economic, social and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights, underscoring the indivisibility of all human rights.” -Catarina de Albuquerque, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation
“Why didn’t you shower you pig?” -Person Living in Poverty, Bolivia
“Extreme poverty engenders a fear, a shame in people, doubts that stop them from expressing themselves when they should.” - Person Living in Poverty, Madagascar
Discrimination 1. Prevents access to available resources and services 2. Silences people and preventing their participation
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